How Bosnia's pioneering footballers are succeeding where the politicians failed

guardian.co.uk
Inspired by the talismanic Edin Džeko, the national side is the country's first truly multi-ethnic organisation

Ed Vulliamy
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 5 November 2011 21.10 GMT
A cold autumn mist seasoned with woodsmoke hangs over the stadium on what was no man's land during Sarajevo's four-year siege – the first Serbian machine-gun post was just behind the goal where the "maniac crew" of Željeznicar Sarajevo sing and the electronic scoreboard now stands. Tonight, it shows a result of 2-0 in favour of Željeznicar against Celik Zenica in the Bosnian cup....more....
read more: guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/05/bosnia-footballers-succeeding-politicians-failed

Bosnia: How to Wriggle Out of the Palestinian Statehood Vote

radio free europe

August 22, 2011

By Anes Alic
In the space of just one week, both Israeli and Palestinian officials have descended on Bosnia-Herzegovina in an attempt to influence officials in Sarajevo ahead of a September vote on Palestinian statehood at the United Nations. Both are counting on Bosnia's vote, and both have an equally strong chance of getting it.
In mid-August, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with Bosnian Serb officials to court favor; a few days later, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas visited Sarajevo, where he met with various state officials to lobby for the statehood initiative....more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/bosnia_wriggling_out_of_the_palestinian_statehood_vote/24304380.html

Bosnia Divided On Palestinian Request For Statehood Support

radio free europe

August 16, 2011

SARAJEVO -- Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas was told in Bosnia-Herzegovina that Bosnia's three ethnic groups have not reached agreement on whether to recognize Palestinian statehood, RFE/RL's Balkan Service reports.

Abbas met with Bosnia's three-member, interethnic presidency and Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj on August 15, the second day of his visit, and said after the meetings that he expected Bosnian help that was pledged for the Palestinian territories' planned declaration of statehood in the United Nations next month....more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/bosnia_still_divided_on_palestinian_request_for_statehood/24298964.html

Interview: Morton Abramowitz On The 'End Of Bosnia'

radio free europe

August 13, 2011

Morton Abramowitz is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation and former president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has served as ambassador to Turkey and Thailand and as assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research. The author of many books, he recently co-wrote an article in "The National Interest" titled "The Death of the Bosnian State." RFE/RL's Balkan Service director Gordana Knezevic asked him what he meant by this.....more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/interview_abramowitz_end_of_bosnia/24295787.html

West's indifference could condemn Bosnia anew

reuters

By Daria Sito-Sucic

SARAJEVO

Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:47am EDT
(Reuters) - A lack of U.S. and European interest in Bosnia may embolden Serb and Croat separatist plans and result in the eventual disintegration of the fragile Balkan country, a former U.S. diplomat said.

"The United States doesn't care anymore, the whole attitude is that it's a European problem and Europeans should handle it," said William Stuebner, who held several diplomatic posts in Bosnia during and after the 1992-95 war, Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two....more...
read more: reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/11/us-bosnia-stuebner-idUSTRE77A1KD20110811

Bosnia and the EU - Brussel's balm

the economist
Can the prospect of better EU ties unite Bosnia’s squabbling politicians?

Jul 21st 2011

SARAJEVO
from the print edition
“WE COULD spend another decade in this limbo,” groans Amer Kapetanovic, who runs the European Union department at the Bosnian foreign ministry. On July 14th the country’s leaders failed, yet again, to create a government. To ordinary people the absence of a central authority since October’s general election is not always noticeable. Much of the day-to-day running of Bosnia is conducted by its regional governments: the Republika Srpska and the federation of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Croats. But for Mr Kapetanovic and his friends the impasse is an insufferable check on their ambitions....more...
read more: the economist
http://www.economist.com/node/18988832

Kukic Defeat Prolongs Hunt For Bosnian Premier

balkan insight
15 JUL 2011 / 11:24

Bosnia's parliament in the second round of voting on Thursday did not support the appointment of Slavo Kukic for the presidency of the Council of Ministers, so the whole business starts again.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo

Bosnia’s search for a state prime minister is nowhere near completion, nine and a half months after the general election, held last October...more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-in-search-for-pm-again

Two schools under one roof

se times
13/07/2011

Double schools represents ethnic segregation by another name in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
By Bedrana Kaletovic for Southeast European Times in Sarajevo – 13/07/11
Doris Dragic and Doris Raguz, both 16, attend high school in the town of Stolac in southern Herzegovina. Ironically, the two teenagers attend classes in the same building but they go to different schools.

Dragic studies in a school under the BiH school programme, while her namesake opted to attend a school under the educational programme of neighbouring Croatia. The latter conducts classes in, and studies about, the Croatian language and history....more....
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/07/13/feature-04

Bosnia Divided on Greater International Intervention

balkan insight
08 JUL 2011 / 18:35

Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats remain at loggerheads over whether the High Representative, Valentin Inzko, should get involved in ending the logjam over formation of a state government.

Senka Kurtovic Sarajevo
Nine months after the last general elections on October 3, 2010, Bosniak [Muslim] parties are calling for the international community to take an active hand in the long-delayed formation of a state government....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-divided-whether-internationals-should-intervene

Bosniaks and Croats, Divided in Class and at Play

ny times
By MATTHEW BRUNWASSER

Published: July 1, 2011
VITEZ, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA — Every morning at the local grade school formerly known as Brotherhood and Unity, the Catholic Croat children head to the right, and the Bosnian Muslims head to the left.
The Croats study in the school’s cheerful looking main building, which was recently renovated. The Muslims attend class in the crumbling, dingy annex next door....more...
read more: ny times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/world/europe/02iht-bosnia02.html?_r=3&ref=europe

In Some Bosnian Schools, Ethnic Divisions Remain (pictures)

ny times
Vitez, a small town in central Bosnia, was the site of one of the fiercest battles during the war between Bosnians and Croats, former allies against the Serbs who turned against each other....more...
read more: ny times
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/07/02/world/europe/0702-BOSNIA.html

Bosnia's Would-be Premier Fails Parliament Vote

balkan insight
30 JUN 2011 / 14:58

State parliament, as expected, declines to support the nomination of Slavo Kukic as Chairman of the Council of Ministers - but he still believes he can make it to a second round of voting.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo
Slavo Kukic received the support of a majority of MPs in the Bosnia's state parliament on Thursday, but after delegates from the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska, rejected him, his hopes of becoming Prime Minister appear dim....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-s-pm-nominee-hopes-for-second-round-vote

Bosnia Parliament To Vote on Would-Be Premier

balkan insight
29 JUN 2011 / 09:28

Bosnia’s Parliament will on Wednesday decide whether or not to support Slavo Kukic, the candidate for Prime Minister proposed by Social-Democrat-led coalition.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo

Slavo Kukic's chances of becoming Bosnia's next Prime Minister looked slim, as it was clear that he has no support in Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity, Republika Srpska, RS, to become chair of the state Council of Ministers....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-s-pm-candidate-hopes-to-pass-the-first-voting-round

Bosnia Flounders as Powers Argue

ny times
By MATTHEW BRUNWASSER

Published: June 27, 2011
SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA — More than 15 years after the Dayton peace agreement silenced guns in Bosnia, the Balkan state — still fractured, still febrile — is facing its worst crisis since the war.
The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, known as Dayton after the location of the Ohio air base where it was hammered out in three weeks in 1995, gave birth to an unwieldy, dense polity that has far more serious problems than teenage growing pains....more....
read more: ny times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/world/europe/28iht-bosnia28.html?_r=1&ref=europe

Dodik Seeks Serbs' Independence 'Within Bosnia'

balkan insight
24 JUN 2011 / 14:10
The President of Republika Srpska says Bosnia can only survive as a confederal arrangement with most powers devolved to the component units.

Vecernje Novosti
In an interview with Serbian daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti on Friday, Milorad Dodik said that Bosnia cannot continue to exist in the same way as it does now, and needs a different model of internal organisation. ...more....

read more: balkan insight http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/dodik-calls-for-highly-autonomous-republika-srpska-within-bosnia

Bosnian Serbs and Croats Snub PM Nominee

balkan insight
23 JUN 2011 / 09:29
Slavo Kukic, Bosnia's Prime Ministerial nominee, has completed consultations with parliamentary parties, but without meeting the leaders of the strongest Serb and Croat parties, his candidacy appears doomed.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo

Slavo Kukic, a candidate for the Chairman of Bosnia’s Council of Ministers, ended his visit to Banja Luka, de facto capital of Bosnia's predominantly Serb entity Republika Srpska, RS, without meeting officials of the strongest Serbian party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-s-pm-nominee-in-a-mission-impossible

U.S. Warns Bosnia It Risks Being Left Behind

ny times
By MATTHEW BRUNWASSER

Published: June 14, 2011
SARAJEVO — With Bosnia facing its most destabilizing political crisis since war ended in 1995, the top U.S. diplomat for European affairs warned the country’s squabbling politicians on Tuesday to work together or risk being left behind by the rest of the Balkan region that is making progress toward European integration.

But the diplomat, Assistant Secretary of State Philip H. Gordon, stopped short of withdrawing U.S. support for Bosnia — something that had been feared here.....more....
read more: ny times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/world/europe/15iht-bosnia15.html?_r=1&ref=europe

Bosnia’s Presidency Selects PM Candidate

balkan insight
14 JUN 2011 / 13:30
Bosnia's State Presidency members announced on Tuesday that Slavo Kukic is their candidate for prime minister, though it's unlikely that he will be approved by parliament.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo
Bakir Izetbegovic, the Bosniak member of the country's tripartite presidency, said on Monday that he would support Dr. Slavo Kukic for prime minister, as Bosnia continues to struggle to form a central government more than eight months after general elections....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-s-presidency-to-vote-on-state-government-mandator

An interview with Croatia's Ivo Banac

se times
13/06/2011

A leading Croatian voice advocates closer US involvement in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
By Zlatko Kovach for Southeast European Times -- 13/06/11
Ivo Banac is one of Croatia's leading intellectuals and a professor emeritus at Yale University. He was a leader of Croatia's Liberal Party, a member of parliament, a cabinet minister, and, until recently, served as president of the Croatian Helsinki Committee.

Banac, known as one of the most vocal critics of former President Franjo Tudjman and former Prime Minister Ivica Racan for their policy towards BiH, shared his views on the current situation in BiH and possible ways out of the country's political impasse.....more...
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/06/13/feature-02

Three Croat Candidates Named for Bosnia PM Post

balkan insight
07 Jun 2011 / 08:46

Three candidates have been put forward for the post of prime minister of Bosnia, as the formation of a state government creaks to a start seven months after elections.

Eldin Hadzovic

Sarajevo
The three candidates, Borjana Kristo from the main Croat party, the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ; Slavo Kukic, candidate of the multi-ethnic but mainly Bosniak Social Democrats, SDP; and Mladen Ivankovic-Lijanovic from the People’s Prosperity Through Work Party, will now be reviewed by the state police and the Central Election Commission to ensure that they are eligible to take up the post....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/three-croat-candidates-run-for-bosnia-s-pm